Sussex wrote:
What would any reasonable person (maybe a chap on the omnibus in Clapham for example) call a council that will allow a person to drive, for hire and reward, a taxi or PH who isn't licensed, maybe hasn't an up-to-date DBS and maybe doesn't have an up-to-date medical?
What would that same fella on the bus call a council that will allow a vehicle to work for hire and reward as a taxi or PH that isn't licensed, maybe not insured and maybe not safe mechanically?
To be honest can't really see a whole lot of difference between the Lewes scenario and one where a council is automatically extending licences.
As regards stuff like DBS, roadworthiness, medicals and insurance I can't see that it makes any substantive difference.
And even during normal times there's always a risk with stuff like that - it's just that it's impractical to check such things every week or so, so reasonable compromises are found.
And with the extraordinary circumstances at the moment, it's arguable that what's happening is reasonable.
But what it all does underline (as per usual) is that a national approach would be preferable to hundreds of different councils all with their own take on things.
(Just remembered when reading the news article about the Inverclyde scenario that I meant to reply to this a few days ago.)